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Ensemble’s President, Michael Johnson, has referred to the current boom in travel and tourism as the ‘Golden Age of the Travel Advisor’.

Speaking at Ensemble’s annual consortium-wide event, Horizons, in Las Vegas, Johnson said: “Never before has the power of you been stronger or more compelling.”

He highlighted the growing influence and expertise of travel advisors in today’s dynamic landscape, noting that Ensemble is uniquely positioned to equip advisors with the tools, technology, and support needed to thrive during this pivotal time.

Johnson specifically referenced how Ensemble is helping members capitalise on the growing air market with the launch of its Ensemble Air Concierge platform. According to IATA (International Air Transport Association), air travel grew by 65% in 2022 and continues to exceed 2019 levels, with projections to double by 2040. To meet this demand, nearly 4,000 new aircraft will be delivered over the next two years, making air sales an essential revenue stream for advisors.

Through Ensemble Air Concierge, members simply refer clients to Ensemble’s air team, who handle the booking and return the itinerary to the advisor, ensuring a seamless process and additional earnings without the hassle.

The conference, held at Resorts World Las Vegas from 16-19 September, was themed around The Power of You. It brought together over 800 attendees, including the network’s owners, managers, advisors and key supplier partners, in an experience designed to inspire, inform, and empower professionals across the industry.

During the opening session of Horizons, Johnson, set the tone by sharing Ensemble’s vision for creating a different kind of consortium – one that redefines how consortia can transform the working experiences of thousands of travel advisors.

“We are a partner that starts by listening to you, and then uses size, scale, and innovation to develop solutions to real problems.”

“We aren’t trying to be a traditional consortium but are focused on building something different that truly meets the needs of today’s travel advisors in an environment where it’s become more complicated to book travel instead of easier,” Johnson stated. He emphasised that Ensemble is focused on adapting customer-centric strategies, inspired by companies like Apple, to deliver practical, innovative solutions for advisors.

Johnson also shared insights from a recent network Census aimed at learning about the specific needs and challenges members have and how Ensemble could address them with new products and programs. The results revealed that 20% of Ensemble members have been in the travel industry for fewer than six years, while 61% have over a decade of experience.

To address the varying needs of these diverse groups, Horizons’ agenda was curated into three tracks, each tailored to different stages of an advisor’s professional journey.

The event featured practical sessions for new advisors on booking air and hotel and leveraging Ensemble’s marketing programs, while seasoned advisors were offered insights on leveraging PR and understanding key travel trends such as family travel and “set jetting” that has continued to evolve thanks to popular movies and television shows where the destinations were as much the focus as the cast.

Owners and managers also heard from an economist on wealth management and success planning.

There were also opportunities to meet one-on-one with more than 300 key industry partners including AmaWaterways, Accor, Azamara, Crystal, Explora Journeys, Hilton, Hyatt, Holland America, Lindblad, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Crusies, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea, Delta and many others.

Technology and Tools to Simplify the Booking Process

In keeping with Ensemble’s advantages with its proprietary booking platform, ADX (Agent Digital Experience), there was a dedicated session on how the platform has also undergone significant upgrades to ensure it meets its objective of simplifying the booking process while providing enhanced profitability and increased margins. Built by industry professionals, ADX aims to simplify the increasingly complex process of booking travel across multiple platforms.

In his opening remarks, Johnson likened Ensemble’s offering to the functionality of an iPhone, with its various programs and products as the apps on the phone that members can use based on their specific needs.

Updates from Ensemble’s Senior Leadership Team

Several members of Ensemble’s Senior Leadership Team provided key updates on new initiatives:

Kristina Boyce, SVP of Operations, focused on the myriad solutions that Ensemble has created since last year’s Horizons event. This includes a new Member Portal that serves as the central hub for everything related to Ensemble. Boyce also shared how Ensemble’s tech stack – anchored by ADX – now includes several other platforms to simplify the booking process. This includes:

Revelex, featuring a responsive widget that can be integrated directly onto members’ websites;

Softvoyage, a plug-in widget that enables travellers to view, compare and book a variety of packaged vacations to help drive increased traffic, garner leads and sales to member sites; and

Sherpa, which provides important information such as passport and visa requirements, border procedures, health declarations, and much more all in one dashboard. Ensemble also rolled out ClientSites, a new website-building tool for advisors.

 

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Boyce also spoke to the rise in Google searches and media coverage on how to become a travel advisor, noting that the while the profession is often glamorised, the reality is that it is challenging work, often leaving advisors to feel isolated as many said they felt in the Census.

In response and to enhance the sense of community among members, Ensemble has launched new Circles community groups focused on niche travel areas like Adventure, Luxury, Celebrations, and Cruise with plans to introduce others including Pride in the coming months.

 

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Shahla Lalani, SVP of Marketing, announced the launch of a new partnership with Hubspot that was a direct response to a Census that Ensemble conducted earlier this year. Members shared that they were very dissatisfied with their current CRM, and Ensemble wanted to step up with a solution.

Through this partnership advisors will be able to manage client information and marketing campaigns in one integrated CRM platform.

Lalani also highlighted the tools and programs that Ensemble offers to support the entire client journey from awareness to advocacy. This includes the Range portfolio including a print magazine, alongside Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler, Range Best offering exclusive offers from Ensemble partners and Ensemble Guides to choose the right cruise or hotel.

Beth Butzlaff, SVP of Partner Relations, provided updates on the revitalised Global Hotel Program, Amenity Program and Hosted Cruise Program, now rebranded as Ensemble Experiences.

Butzlaff also announced an industry first – Ensemble’s new hotel cruise amenity program that will debut in four key port cities of Seattle, Vancouver, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. As part of this program, Ensemble’s clients receive complimentary hotel transfers to the port.

“This is another testament to Ensemble’s role as being an innovator and disruptor in the consortia space to enhance sales for members and partners alike,” said Butzlaff.

To that end, she also noted that bookings in the luxury cruise sector were up 31% from last year. She also shared the network’s creation of the Ensemble Member Advisory Partner Panels (EMAPP), which bring together members and partners to address challenges and opportunities in the cruise, hotel, and tour sectors.

A Commitment to Social Impact

In keeping with Ensemble’s belief that travel can be a powerful force for good, the opening session included the return of Giles Duley, the founder and CEO of Legacy of War Foundation, alongside Olive Mutetamfura, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

The session was a follow up to Duley’s story at last year’s Horizons event about Olive’s journey and their bond that led to the establishment of the Land for Women project—a program promoting the economic empowerment of Rwandan women through land ownership and sustainable cooperative farming. Heza Musha (“Better Future”) farm that was funded by Ensemble members and matching funds from Navigatr, Ensemble’s parent company.

This year, through a silent auction, direct donations, and matching funds from Navigatr, Ensemble’s parent company, Ensemble raised over US$200,000 for a new farm and the Land for Women program—permanently lifting 100 women and their families out of poverty.

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